IV 111th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 919 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 18, 2009 Mr. Stearns (for himself and Mr. Lewis of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month.

Whereas chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, refractory asthma, and bronchiectasis and is always preventable and almost always treatable; Whereas the National Institutes of Health have estimated 12,000,000 Americans have been diagnosed with COPD; Whereas the National Institutes of Health have estimated 24,000,000 adults in the United States have symptoms of impaired lung function, indicating that COPD is under diagnosed; Whereas COPD is progressive and is not fully reversible but early detection can allow individuals to treat and manage COPD; Whereas symptoms of COPD include chronic coughing, shortness of breath, increased effort to breathe, increased mucus production, and frequent clearing of the throat; Whereas risk factors for COPD include long-term smoking, a family history of COPD, exposure to air pollution or second-hand smoke, and a history of frequent childhood respiratory infections; Whereas more than half of all adults who suffer from COPD report that their condition limits their ability to work, sleep, and participate in social and physical activities; Whereas more than half of all adults who suffer from COPD feel they are not in control of their breathing, panic when they cannot catch their breath, and expect their condition to worsen; Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nearly 126,000 adults die in the United States of COPD on an annual basis, making COPD the fourth leading cause of death in the United States; Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COPD afflicts men and women equally, more women then men die from COPD each year; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects COPD to be the third leading cause of death in the United States by 2020; Whereas the National Institutes of Health have estimated COPD costs an estimated $42,600,000,000 in direct and indirect costs in 2007; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that currently no national data source exists that is sufficiently large enough to allow for State level estimates of COPD prevalence; Whereas too many people with COPD are not diagnosed or are not receiving adequate treatment; and Whereas the establishment of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month would raise public awareness about the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the serious problems associated with the disease: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives supports the goals and ideals of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month.